Not sure why people are bringing up Tippycanoe, because it has nothing to do with today’s strip. And you’re confusing people further down trying to make a connection where there is none. It’s already been explained, and I seriously can’t see why you would jump to the conclusion that this has to do with something 130 years old, when it’s it’s so mindnumbingly obvious the wood is in the paper towel.

Nothing ruins a joke (even a bad pun) like having to explain it. Okay, first off all, it’s Tippecanoe, and no, it has nothing to do with today’s strip. But “tippy” is not a commonly used word, and to some minds (mine and varnes, at minimum) the pun just suggests itself. The Tippecanoe reference is solely for the enjoyment(?) of the pun itself. (There is a kid’s festival here called “Whirligig”; while describing it to a friend I, for some reason spoonerized it and called it “Girly Wig”. She immediately replied, “Oh, a merkin”. I loved that she came up with the pun, she loved that I got it (and no, I’m not going to define it for you if you don’t know it. Oh wait, is that me gloating about being smarter than someone else? No, but I’m sure someone is capable of reading it the way.)